Thread: oil weep

Hub seal is my bet

Make sure you check the condition of your stub axle when you fit the new seal

A good way to check the difference between brake fluid and oil is to wipe you finger in the goo then dip it in water. Oil will leave an oily smear on the water, brake fluid won't as it's hydroscopic

Originally Posted by uninformed

I have a 98 110 defender with Sals rear,Maxidrive locker/axles and flanges. Hubs are oil fed from the diff. The left rear disc has a fine covering of gunk/sludge/oil (im guessing its not brake fluid as brakes are normal but will double check in the morning) I can't see exactly where it is coming from. What is it likely to be?

cheers,
Serg

More than likely a leaking rear hub seal,or a leaking caliper seal.

Wayne

ok thanks guys, just to clear the ovbious up: the hub seal will leak the oil from diff/axle and the caliper seal will leak brake fluid, correct?

Im guessing to do the hub seal would involve: New seal, new drive flange gasket. drain diff oil, remove wheel, remove drive flange, remove caliper, remove hub and rotor and replace seal??

any tips on setting the correct pressure on the hub nut for the bearings?

cheers,
Serg

Originally Posted by uninformed

ok thanks guys, just to clear the ovbious up: the hub seal will leak the oil from diff/axle and the caliper seal will leak brake fluid, correct?

Im guessing to do the hub seal would involve: New seal, new drive flange gasket. drain diff oil, remove wheel, remove drive flange, remove caliper, remove hub and rotor and replace seal??

any tips on setting the correct pressure on the hub nut for the bearings?

cheers,
Serg

No. 1 - correct

No. 2 - correct, although I usually just use a decent sealant on the flanges instead of a gasket. Make sure you knock the seal in all the way

Best method I've seen is the Landrover method, also the method I use. Spin hub and tension nut to 50 Nm, check for free spinning, back off 90 degrees and retighten to 10 Nm

Only trouble with this method is you need a 2 1/16 socket and a tension wrench with the correct range

Correct!!
As Jock said,it is probably better that you do it by the book if you aren't used to doing it.Being in the trade for over 30 years,I tend to do it by feel.And never had a wheel bearing fail after I have set them up in all those years.
You won't necessarily have to drain the diff,unless you want to replace all the oil anyway.With the side you have apart jacked up higher than the other side ,you won't necessarily lose much oil.If you are going to use sealant on the flange and not a gasket,I suggest you use a good quality sealant.My preference if for 3bond sealant,but I also use Loctite Grey Maxx RTV sealant,which I find works really well and looks a lot better than the Ultra Blue that a lot of places use .

Wayne

thanks guys,

I was just reading the LR WSM stuff, they say to re bleed the brakes??? I didnt think I had to remove the brake line, just remove the whole caliper and tie up out the way...

paper Vs sealant. re the driveflange, I know some still use the paper one with success. Is this a common failer point?

Being a 1998 110 Sals rear, Is that definitly a 2 1/16th socket or is it metric? I have everything else, Im happy to buy the socket....also will it fit in or does it need to be thin walled?

cheers,
Serg

The rear brake lines are solid at the calliper with the flexible bit somewhere around the a-frame (correct me if I'm wrong)
on the front you can move the whole calliper without bleeding though as the flexible bit is right next to the calliper

Originally Posted by uninformed

thanks guys,

I was just reading the LR WSM stuff, they say to re bleed the brakes??? I didnt think I had to remove the brake line, just remove the whole caliper and tie up out the way...

paper Vs sealant. re the driveflange, I know some still use the paper one with success. Is this a common failer point?

Being a 1998 110 Sals rear, Is that definitly a 2 1/16th socket or is it metric? I have everything else, Im happy to buy the socket....also will it fit in or does it need to be thin walled?

cheers,
Serg

Yeh the rear calipers have a solid line to the caliper, not to hard to bleed the brakes though

No failure point, I just find it easier to pull out a tube of sealant than order a gasket, wait for it to arrive then risk tearing it on fitment

Yeap thats what mine is, standard run of the mill T&E 3/4 drive socket. Although it would be better if you could get a deep socket. I have Maxi dive rear axles which are slightly longer than standard, I have to pull the axles out to get onto the nut